Di'rak
(10 RP) The bestial di'rak are known as a race of wild, untamed warriors. Hearty creatures predominantly motivated by hubris, they are proud and easily won over with flattery. Aggressive, relentless and cunning, di'rak see every encounter through the perspective of combat and look for weakness in those they deal with and for advantage in every situation. They can be highly competitive, but impulsive and rash. Some claim their behavior is innate, while others believe their hostile mannerisms are cultural and developed as a learned adaptation that has enabled their people to endure through centuries of oppression and the loss of their homeland, the Que-Shu Isles. Di'rak are natural survivalists. For many, only theft or mercenary work have afforded them the temporary luxuries other races take for granted. In the past, both humans and powerful races such as giants sought the di'rak as slaves and servitors. Many scavenged for survival, scraping for food in the shadows of cities or living as subsistence hunters and gatherers in the wild. Their descendants now struggle to find their place in contemporary society, often competing against negative stereotypes or driven to embrace them, and they rely on battle and honor to get by in a harsh and unforgiving world. Physical Description Di'rak are feral humanoids whose features somewhat resemble cats. They have broad shoulders and both their arms and their legs end in powerful claws. Course hair covers their bodies and can be especially long around the head and ears—this fur can be green, brown, purple and occasionally black or blue. Their natural color tends to fade with age and most elder di'rak are white or silver. Di'rak often undertake tribal rituals which include many forms of body marking. They may scarify, tattoo or bleach certain patches of fur or decorate their hair with piercings, dyes, paint, or tiny glued ornaments. Though they are about the same height as humans, they have muscular builds and tend to hunch over. A di'rak's nose can be under-pronounced to the point of being nearly flat. Others may be born with vestigial tails. Society Di'rak live in close-knit, tribal communities in which they keep to themselves. In urban centers, they tend to group in communal slums, while those living in rural areas establish isolated settlements. Overall, they remain secretive about their culture, which is a combination of old traditions laced with newer bits of culture scavenged from the races common in the neighboring regions. Cultural scavenging also extends to language, and regional dialects of di'rak are peppered with terms and colloquialisms from other languages. Di'rak do not have a knack for language and pick up new ones slowly. Most di'rak communities tend to follow a tribal structure. Tribal rules remain loose and subjective, and tribe members settle any conflicts through public arbitration (and occasionally personal combat). While every di'rak has a voice in her society, in most settlements, di'rak still defer to their revered elders for wisdom and advice. Relations Few races easily tolerate di'rak. Of the most common races, only humans allow them to settle within their cities with any regularity. When this occurs, di'rak inevitably form their own ghettos and ramshackle communities, typically in the most wretched neighborhoods. Regardless of their tolerance, most humans maintain as little contact with di'rak as possible. Di'rak occasionally make friends with elves, but only when they share mutual interests. Conversely, most dwarves have no patience for di'rak whatsoever. Other races tend to view di'rak in a similar fashion to humans, though many actively discourage them from settling in their realms. Alignment and Religion Di'rak tend to be neutral, though those who allow their impulsiveness to get the better of them lean toward chaotic good. Religious beliefs vary from tribe to tribe; some worship Pantero nelde'Arda or other traditional di'rak gods (most of which are aspects of better-known deities), while others take to the worship of human gods or celestial spirits. Di'rak can be fickle with regard to their patrons, quickly abandoning religious customs when they cease to provide any tangible benefit. Many embrace polytheism, picking and choosing to uphold the tenets of whatever deities best suit them at the time. Adventurers With little at home to leave behind, many di'rak turn to a life of adventure seeking fame, fortune, and glory. A common di'rak belief portrays a life on the road as a series of experiences and trials that form a path to enlightenment. Some take this to mean a path of spiritual empowerment; others view it as a way to perfect their arts or swordsmanship. Perhaps in spite of the prejudices upheld by outsiders, many di'rak adventurers embrace their stereotypes. These individuals seek to succeed by epitomizing di'rak racial qualities, and proudly flaunt their heritage. Despite their raucous mannerisms, due to their keen senses and quicker wits, di'rak make surprisingly good rogues and rangers, while those with a strong connection to the spirit world often become druids. Those disciplined in the practice of martial arts take jobs as mercenaries and bodyguards in order to profit from their talents. *Male Names: Bukka, Chak-Chak, Chuko, Ebonfeather, Highriver, Kraugh, Pezzack, Taicho, Tchoyoitu, Xaikon. *Female Names: Woodminder, Aikio, Cheetchu, Daba, Gildedhackle, Kankai, Mikacha, Ruk, Zhanyae. Standard Racial Traits *'Ability Score Racial Traits': Di'rak are perceptive and strong, but often lack social skills. They gain +2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma. *'Type:' Di'rak are humanoids with the Di'rak subtype. *'Size:' Di'rak are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size. *'Base Speed:' Di'rak have a base speed of 30 feet. *'Languages:' Di'rak begin play speaking Common and Di'rak. Di'rak with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Elven, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling, Orc, and Sylvan. Offensive Racial Traits *'Claws:' Di'rak have strong natural claws and can use them to make attacks. These claws are primary attacks that deal 1d4 points of damage. Defense Racial Traits *'Moon's Luck:' (Ex) Once per day when a Di'rak makes a Reflex saving throw, he can roll the saving throw twice and take the better result. He must decide to use this ability before the saving throw is attempted. Feat and Skill Racial Traits *'Natural Hunter:' Di'rak receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception, Stealth, and Survival checks. Movement Racial Traits *'Sprinter:' Di'rak gain a 10-foot racial bonus to their speed when using the charge, run, or withdraw actions. Senses Racial Traits *'Scent:' Di'rak gain the scent ability. 'Alternate Racial Traits' The following alternate racial traits may be selected in place of one or more of the standard racial traits above. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options. *'Climber:' Di'rak hunters excel at hunting prey from trees and other high vantage points. Di'rak with this racial trait possess a climb speed of 20 feet (along with the +8 racial bonus on Climb checks a climb speed affords). This racial trait replaces sprinter. *'Nimble Faller:' Some Di'rak have an amazing sense of balance and keen knowledge of their own center of gravity. Di'rak with this trait land on their feet even when they take lethal damage from a fall. Furthermore, Di'rak with this trait gain a +1 bonus to their CMD against trip maneuvers. This racial trait replaces sprinter. Favored Class Options The following favored class options are available to all characters of this race who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the favored class reward. *'Druid:' Add a +1 bonus on wild empathy checks made to influence animals and magical beasts that live above ground. *'Ranger:' Choose a weapon from the following list: claws, kukri, longbow, longsword, short spear, or shortbow. Add +1/2 on critical hitconfirmation rolls made while using that weapon (maximum bonus of +4). This bonus does not stack with Critical Focus. *'Rogue:' Add a +1/2 bonus on Bluff checks to feint and Sleight of Hand checks to pickpocket. *'Sorcerer:' Select one bloodline power at 1st level that is normally usable a number of times equal to 3 + the sorcerer's Charisma modifier. The sorcerer adds + 1/2 to the number of uses per day of that bloodline. Category:Races